Table for rolling mills



May 14,1935. EDREXLER 2,001,129

TABLE FOR RLLINGMILLS Filed Nov.- 5,` 1934 5 sheets-sheet l y INVENTOR www;

ATTO R N EY May 14, 1935. E. DREXLER TABLE FOR ROLLING MILLS* 5 Sheets-Sheet 2 Filed NOVK. 5, 1934 INVEN-roa ATTORNEY May 14,'.1935- E. DREXLER 2,001,129

TABLE FOR ROLLING MILLS Filed Nov. 5, 1954 5 Sheets-Sheet 3 INV ENTOR ATTORN EY May 14, 1935. E. DREXLER TABLE FOR ROLLING M-ILLS 5 Sheets-Sheet 4 Filed Nov. 5, 1934 4lNvENToR A MM. @II 5 NIW-n1; 5 wm] ATTORNEY 5 Sheets-Sheet 5 Filed NOV. 5, 1954 ATToRNEY Patete May il 193 willV rnest exler, Fittsbgh, Fa.

Application November 5, 193i, Se No.. @511,502

3 Claims.

rMy invention relates to tables for rolling mills in which there are used entry or delivery tables for the purpose of reversing the direction of travel of the material to re-enter the same between the working rolls of the mill when it is desired, for example, to further y"reduce the thickness of the material, or to obtain a smoother finish or greater hardness thereof.

A rolling mill table usually comprises a series of rollers driven either by miter gears and line shafts, Worms and worm wheels, chains and sprockets, cranks and connecting rods, or by individual coupled motors.

Whenever a change in the direction of travel' of the material is desired, the direction of rotation of the roller driving means must be reversed. This requires time, and if frequent reversals are eiected, the output of the mill is of course considerably diminished. Moreover, there is the inherent disadvantage of the table mechanism being subjected to stresses and strains and excessive Wear due to the starting, stopping and reversing of the direction of rotation of the rollers. Especially is this true in respect to the reversible electric motors and related gear reduction units which comprise the most common means of driving the rollers. Motors of special and expensive construction are required to withstand frequent reversals without overheating. Furthermore, the common practice heretofore has been to pivot the tables at their ends remote from the rolls and to tilt the ends of the tables nearer the rolls upwardly so that reversal of the direction of rotation of the rolls is effective to convey the material over the rolls for re-entry between the same. This, however, has the disadvantage, especially in the case of the rollinguof light weight, smooth; surfaced materials, that considerable slippage between the material and the conveyor rollers occurs, the material, due to insuilicient traction and under the inuence of gravity tending to slide down the inclined table away from the mill rolls instead of beingfconveyed over the same. Consequently, the services of anl attendant stationed at the table to push the material upwardly over the table are required.

The general object of the present invention is to provide a relatively simple, thoroughly practical table for use in rolling mills embodying a construction and mode of operation whereby the 4foregoing and other disadvantages inherent in present rolling mill tables are eliminated.

The novel features of construction, combination l and arrangement of parts in accordance with my invention will now be more fully described with reference to the accompanying drawings, in which Fig. 1 is a top plan view of a rolling mill equipped Fig. 3 an end elevation of the mechanism shown in Figs. 1 and 2, Fig. 4 an enlarged transverse section through one of the tables showing the vertically movable set of rollers in an elevated position, Fig. 5 an enlarged horizontal section 5 taken approximately on the line 5--5 of Fig. 2, Fig. 6 a detail sectional view through the clutch device for effecting elevation and permitting lowering of the movable sets of rollers of the tables, Fig/7 a top plan view illustrating chain conveyor elements which may -be used in lieu of the rollers illustrated in Figs. 1 to 5, and Fig. 8 a side elevation of the structure illustrated in Fig. 7 and showing by dotted lines the vertically movable chain conveyor in elevated position.

In the drawings, A designates, generally, the usual housing of a sheet or plate hot mill having journaled therein the usual superimposed rolls a, a. As shown, separate conveyor tables constructed in accordance with the invention and generally designatedv as B, BI, are disposed, one at the entering side and the other at the delivery side of the rolls, for respectively conveying the material to and from the rolls. This is a preferred arrangement inasmuch kas the tables thus arranged are adapted for cooperation with each other to eiect repeated "passes of the material between the rolls. However, the two tables are entirely separate and distinct from each other, and either may be used to the exclusion of the other. Each table comprises a frame or carriage III provided with grooved supporting wheels I I (Fig. 4) resting on track rails I 2 of inverted V-shaped section whereby the carriage Ill is supported and guided for movement bodily towards and away from the rolls a.

The carriage I0 is composed of a pair of side rails I3 connected together by transverse members I4 and constitutes .a carrier for a set of transverse rollers I5, suitably journaled at their ends in said side rails. All the rollers I5 are of the same diameter and, as shown, are disposed in a common horizontal plane to properly support and convey/'the material resting thereon. They are. driven in unison in any suitable or desired ,mannen as, for example, by means of an electric motor individual to each roller and contained therein as shown for instance in my Patent No. 1,889,174 and as indicated by dotted lines in Figure 4 of the drawings. During operation of the table the carriage I 0 must be held against movement along the track rails I2. As illustrated in Fig. 4, a simple yet effective means of accomplishing this purpose comprises clamp bolts I 6 depending from the axle I1 of a pair of the wheels I I or from one of the cross members for clamping engagement with portions of the track rails I2.

In addition to the carriage I0 supporting the rollers I5, the table includes a vertically movable frame I8 (Fig. 4) comprising a pair of side and carrying, like the carriage transverse rollers 2|.

rollers 2| journaled therein.

Like the rollers I5 of the carriage I0, the rollers 2| of the frame I8 are all of the same diameter and are driven in any suitable manner, as, for example, by means of individual motors mounted therein.

The rollers I5 of carriage I0 all rotate in a direction to advance the material disposed thereon toward the rolls a, while the rollers 2| of the frame I8 all rotate in the opposite direction. During the normal operation of the mill the rollers 2| are disposed suitably below the rollers I5 so that the material rests upon and is moved only by the rollers I5. When it is desired to reverse the direction of travel of the material, the frame I8 is raised vertically so as to dispose the rollers 2| above the rollers I5 parallel thereto, in which case the material will be moved by the rollers 2 I.

The means mounting the frame I8 for vertical movement comprises a base 22 suitably mounted in a. fixed position below the track rails I2 of carriage I and having suitably guided therein for vertical movement a carrier 23 which is forked at its upper endr to provide arms 24, (Figs. 4 and to which the side rails I!) of frame I8 are detachably connected as shown at 25 in Fig. 4. The carrier 23 is provided with a rack 26 with which meshes a pinion 21 (Figs. 3 and 5), xed to a horizontal shaft 28 journaled in the base 22. Thus, by the rotation of the shaft 28 in one direction, the carrier 23, and with it the frame I8,

` are vertically elevated. On the other hand, whenever free rotation of the shaft 28 is permitted, due to the weight of the carrier 23 and the frame I8, said carrier and frame gravitate to their normal lowermost position in which the rollers 2| are disposed below the rollers I5. The side rails I3 of the carriage I8 are provided with recesses opening through their upper edges to accommodate the preferably reduced ends of the rollers 2| and the cross members 20 thereby to permit said rollers 2| to move downwardly below the rollers I5.

From the foregoing description, the general mode of operation of the tables B, B will be apparent. Normally, the rollers 2| of both tables are disposed below their related rollers I5, only the latter rollers being effective to support and move the material and the said rollers I5 of both tables B, B' rotating in the same direction whereby the material is advanced toward the rolls a by the rollers I5 of the table B at the entrance s ide` of the rolls a and is carried away from the rolls a`by the rollers I5 of the table B at the delivery side of the rolls. Now, if it is desired to return the rolled material from the table B to the table B to again be passed between the rolls -a, the frames I8 of the respective tables are raised vertically to dispose their rollers 2| above the rollers I5. 'Ihe material is thus picked up and elevated by the rollers 2|, and the direction of rotation of the rollers 2| being counter to the direction of the rollers I5, the elevated material is moved by the rollers 2| of the table B toward' the rolls a. The amount of elevation of the rollers 2| is such that the material may pass over the rolls' a onto the rollers 2| of the table B, and, thereupon, the frames I8 of the respective tables are lowered to deposit the material on the rollers I5 of the table B, whereby the sheet again is advanced by the latter rollers to and between the rolls a. Different types of mills may require different amounts of elevation of the rollers 2|, but the present manner of mounting the rollers 2| obviously provides for obtaining any desired amount of elevation of said rollers 'within practicable limits.

Side guards 29 are provided to guide the material in its movement over the tables, and a feature of the invention resides in so mounting said side guards that they not only are adjustable to accommodate therebetween material of different widths, but are effective to guide the material whether the same is resting on the rollers I5 or on the elevated rollers 2|.

The side guards 29, (Fig. 4), are in the form of longitudinally extending plates disposed, one at each side of the frame I8 and mounted, respectively, on the inner ends 38 of levers 3| which are pivoted intermediately in brackets 32 carried by the side rails I9 of frame I8. The other or outer ends 33 of said levers extend downwardly and outwardly and are connected together by a link or rod 34. Thus, by longitudinal movement of the respective rods 34 the levers 3| are swingabie in unison to move the guards 29 either inwardly or outwardly. Any suitable means may be provided to hold the guards in a desired adjusted position. Such means, as here shown, comprise a bracket 35 for each link or rod 34 fixed to the related side rail I9 of frame I8 and have the related link or rod slidably engaged therewith, the bracket having an opening for alinement with any one of a number of openings in the link or rod for the reception of a suitable pin or keeper 38.

Special and novel means are provided for elevating and permitting lowering of the frames I8 of the tables B, B' in unison. On corresponding ends of the shafts 2B are fixed bevel gears 31 (Fig. 1), which mesh with similar gears 38 fixed on a shaft 39. The pairs of gears 31, 38, are disposed preferably within suitable housings 40 in which the shaft 39 is journaled. Alined with shaft 39 is a shaft 4I having fixed thereto a worm wheel 42 with which meshes a worm 43 on the shaft of a driving motor 44. Adjacent ends of the shafts 39 and 4I have xed thereto bevel gears 45 and 46, respectively, which mesh with other bevel gears 41 journaled in a housing 48 mounted for rotation about the common axis of the shafts 39, 4I. The gears 45, 46 and 41, together with the housing 48, obviously constitute a differential gear connection between the shafts 39, 4I operable either to transmit power from the shaft 4| to shaft 39 for the purpose of rotating the shafts 28 to raise the frames I8, or to permit the shafts 28, 39 to rotate under the inuence of the weight of the frames I8 and their carriers 23, thereby permitting said frames and carriers to gravitate to their lowermost positions with the rollers 2| disposed below the rollers I5 while the motor 44 continues to operate and drives the shaft 4| in a single direction. In other words. continuous rotation of the motor and consequent continuous rotation of the shaft 4| being assumed. it is manifest that if the differential gear housing 48 is held against rotation, the gear 48 will drive the gears 41 ,and the latter gears will drive the gear 45, thereby imparting rotation to the shaft 39 and the shafts 28. It is understood, of course, that the direction of rotation of the motor 44 is such as to rotate the shafts 28 in a direction to elevate the frames I8. Now, on the other hand, when the gear housing 48 is not held against rotation,

aoomao it is apparent that the gears 41 may rotate with the housing about the gear l5 without imparting motion to the shaft 39, so that when the frames are in an elevated position and the housing it is not held against rotation, shaft 39 is free to turn topermit the frames to gravitate to their lowermost positions, despite continued rotation of the shaft 4i by they motor.

A practical means of releasably holding the gear housing it against rotation is illustrated in Figures 1, 3 and 6 of the drawings and comprises a pair of arms 89 pivoted to a suitable xed support 5t for swinging movement toward and away from the housing and carrying brake elements 5i for engagement with the housing. A bell-crank lever 52 is pivoted to the free end of one of the arms t@ and is connected at one end to the free end of the other of the arms t@ by a link tt and at its other end is connected by a link 5t with an intermediate portion of a pivoted lever 5t having connected therewith a solenoid core 5t operating within a solenoid winding 5l. The lever 55 is weighted and is so disposed as to normally operate through its connection with the arms t@ to urge them inwardly to braking positions relative to the housing t8. On the other hand, the solenoid comprising the core 5t and the winding 5l is so disposed as to swing the lever 55 in a direction to move the arms outwardly into nonbraking relationship to the housing 4t when the winding 5l is energized. As illustrated in Fig. 6 of the drawings, a foot operable switch 5t .may be provided in the solenoid circuitfor opening and closing the circuit to respectively release and hold the housing 4H. Because of this arrangement it is clear, that simply by the opening of the solenoid circuit the frames I8 will be elevated and by the closing of said circuit the frames are permitted to gravitate to their lowered positions, while lthe motor 44 continues to operate in a single direction. Thus, provision obviously is made for quickly returning any material from the table B' to the table B for re-entry between the rolls a lwithout reversing the direction of rotation of any of the rollers i5 or 2i.

As has been said, the rollers l5 and 2l preferably are driven by individual electric motors, and for providing current of desired frequency for operating said motors, a generator 59 preferably ends of the up and down movements of said carriers.

Due to the detachable connections 25 between the frames i8 and their carriers 23 said frames may at any time be disconnected from said carriers to be deposited on the carriage ln for transportation by the latter along the track rails i2 either toy clear the mill, or for any other desired purpose.

While rollers preferably are employed as suplporting and conveying means for thematerial, the use of rollers for this purpose obviously is not essential. On the contrary, any equivalents of the rollers I5 and 2l may be employed. For example, from Figs. '7 and 8 of the drawings, it will be observed that the supporting and conveying means for the material may comprise endless chains ti operating over sprocket wheels 62 at the ends of the carriage It and the frame i8', respectively. For driving the chains 62 of the supporting and conveying means l' the sprocket wheels at one end of said carriage lll' may be carried by a hollow member t3 equipped in the same manner as the rollers l and 2i with a motor for rotating the same. Similarly, for driving the chains of the frame ltthe sprocket wheels at one end of said frame may be carried by another hollow member tt equipped with a motor for rotating the same.

While specic structural embodiments of the invention have been illustrated and described, the invention is readily capable of embodiment in other mechanical structures without a departure from its spirit and scope.

I claim:

l. A table for rolling mills comprising a wheeled carriage inclusive of spaced side rails, track rails on which said carriage is mounted for movement, means for securing said carriage against movement along said track rails, a series of material supporting and conveying rollers mounted on and extending transversely between the carriage side rails, means for driving all of said rollers. in the same direction, a frame inclusive of side rails disposed outwardly of the carriage side rails, a series of material supporting and conveying rollers mounted on and extending transversely between the frame side rails, means for driving all of the rollers of the second series in a direction opposite to the rollers of the first series, means whereby the frame rollers are permitted to move downn wardly below the carriage rollers, a support, vertically movable frame lifting means mounted in said support, and a detachable connection between said frame lifting means and said frame whereby the frame and its rollers may be deposited on the carriage for movement therewith.

2. A table for rolling mills comprising a horizontally movable carriage, material supporting and conveying means mounted thereon, a vertically movable support, material supporting and conveying means mounted on said support for vertical movement with said support above and below the first mentioned conveying means, means for vertically moving said support, anda detachable connection between said support and the moving means therefor whereby the support and its rollers may be deposited on the carriage for movement therewith.

3. A table for rolling mills comprising a material supporting and conveying element inclusive of a plurality of rollers having individual driving motors, a second material supporting and conveying element inclusive of a plurality of rollers having individual driving motors, a continuously operating motor, a connection between said motor and one of said elements whereby the motor may be made eifective to elevate said element to a position with its rollers disposed above the rollers of the other element and whereby, during continuous operation of said motor, the elevated element may be lowered to a position with its rollers disposed below the rollers of the other element, and a generator driven by said motor for furnishing current to the individual driving motors of said rollers.

ERNEST DREEHJER. 

